Safety device for guns



Feb. 16, 1954 ATTOPA/EVS Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to safety devices for firing arms.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a safety which will automatically be rendered inoperative by the pistol grip exerted upon the gun by the trigger hand.

A still further and highly important object of my invention is the provision of a safety of the class described, which will safely permit a lighter trigger action whereby to materially decrease flinching and increase accuracy.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is particularly adaptable for use with so-called hammerless guns, which is extremely inexpensive to produce, easy to install, and durable in use.

A still further object of my invention is a device of the character above-described, which is absolutely fool-proof and positive in its action.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a safety device which will not replace but supplement the conventional safety device with which a gun is provided and which will render the gun safe evenwhen the conventional safety has been rendered ineffective.

The above and still further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claim, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the firing mechanism of a rifle illustrating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing a different position of some of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 1 with some parts further broken away to better illustrate the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken substantially on the line i!l of Fig. 3.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral l indicates, in its entirety, a frame comprising a normally horizontal portion 2 and an upstanding portion 3 adjacent its rear end. A hand-engaging cutt or stock 4 is rigidly secured to the upstanding frame portion 3 by virtue of an elongated bolt 5 which has screw-threaded engagement with a rearwardlyprojected coupler boss 6 on the frame member 3. A depending trigger guard 5, preferably and as shown, is integrally formed with the frame member 2. A hammer 8 is shown as mounted for limited swinging movements in a vertical plane by virtue of a pivot pin 9 which projects through the lower end of the hammer and spaced upwardly-projecting side frame members it and H. The cocked position of the hammer 8 is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, whereas the firing position thereof is illustrated in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the firing pin, the magazine, and the barrel do not form a part of this invention, they are not shown or described. A coil spring l2, as shown encompassing a guide rod [3 pivoted as at Hi to the hammer 8 and running in a channel not shown in the rear end portion of the frame l, biases the hammer 8 toward a firing position.

An angular trigger member i5 is shown as mounted for limited pivotal movements on a pivot pin it extending therethrough and through said side frame members l0 and H. The depending finger-engaging portion ll of the trigger E5 is shown as extending downwardly through an opening is in the horizontal frame member 2 into the opening provided by the trigger guard i. Trigger it also includes a generally horizontal portion 89 which underlies the hammer 8. As shown, the free end of the portion IQ of trigger i5 is biased in the direction of the pivot pin 9 by means of a leaf spring 2i} interposed therebetween and the frame member 2. Adjacent its forward end, the portion I9 of trigger i5 is notched to provide a shoulder 2| which is adapted to have abutting engagement with a tooth 22 on the lower end of the hammer 8 when said trigger is moved to its cocked position, as shown in Fig. 1. Obviously, rearward movement of the portion ll of trigger i5, against the bias of spring 20, lowers the forward end of the portion 59 sufficiently to release the tooth 22 from the shoulder 2 l, thereby normally permitting the hammer s to be moved toward its firing position under the bias of spring 52, as shown in Fig. 2.

The elements heretofore described are conventional and form no part of my invention. Furthermore, the firing mechanism above-described is generally provided with safety mechanisms of one type or another. Inasmuch as these conventional safety mechanisms do not play a part in my novel invention, they have not been shown and will not be described.

As above indicated, my novel safety mechanism is adapted to supplement the conventional safety mechanism and includes a bell crank, identified in its entirety by the numeral 23. As shown, bell crank 23 is in side-by-side relation to the trigger it and, preferably and as shown, is also mounted for limited pivotal movements on the pivot pin l6.

Bell crank 23 has an upwardly-projecting lever arm 24 and a rearwardly-projecting lever arm 25 which extends through an opening in the upstanding frame member 3 and into a downwardlyopening slot 26 in the forward end of the butt or stock 5. Adjacent its upper end, the arm 24 5 of the bell crank 23 is provided with detent means 27 which is adapted to have locking engagement with a laterally-projecting stop lug 28 adjacent the freerendiofvthe hammer 8Twhen thehammer 8 is moved. to thehcoeked DOSitiOHiZOf-z Fig. "1. Preferably and as shown, lever arm 25 is provided with an enlarged pad 29. As shown, a torsion... spring 30 encompassing the boss 6 has one end i securely anchored in the frame memherasandnzi its opposite end bearing upon the intermediate 15,,

portion of the arm 25, whereby to simultaneously bias the bell crank 23 to a positionsinavhichxthei:-- pad portion 29 projects outwardly and downwardly from the slot 26,and the detent---2'l"ihto locking engagement withthe stop lug 28 (all as shown by' the full linesinxFigszrl, andfi):

When the hammeri 8 has eibeen :movedzto the cooked positiomof: Figs L1, zit Lis :onlyipossibleio release-same by pressing :upwardlycupon the pad 29 and arm- Yof the be1lrcrank 23,2;agaihSt 25 the biasof the" springniimrwhereby tosmavesthe arm- 24 0i the bell cranla 231 sufiicientlylforwarde 1y on the pivot l fi- -to allow the-stop; lugi.28::to clear-the detent 21. This movement cam-only be impartedby. squeezingwactionrof thei'rnone 30 trigger-engaging fingers of r the" trigger hand of the operator which-normallyencompasses the're duced-portionef the stock 4 immediately to'the rearof the frame membei t. Iniother-words, simultaneously 'withthe squeezing of=the trigger finger, the other-fingers =of the' trigger handof the operator are caused-to'contract.- I have found not only that it is'highly desirabie' to providea gun-with a safety mecha'nism- -whichmayHbe releasedsimultaneously with the: trigger--and by 40 common squeezing movements by the =same handbut also that thesqueezing movements essential to the release of the safety cause-the operator to more firmly grip the gun stock.there= by'greatly decreasinghisflinching andincreasing" his accuracy;-

While I have disclosed a preferred embo'diment of my invention, it is "obv ious that -the same is capable of modification without departure from the spiritand scope of the invention; --as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A device of the class described including a frame having a hand-engaging butt, a hammer mounted in said frame for limited pivotal movements from a cooked to a firing position, means biasing said hammer toward said firing position. a trigger, means mounting said trigger for limited pivotal movements, means biasing said trigger, ,inloneidirection means associated with 'saidis trigger zfor .arrestmgflsmovementssof said hammer when said hammer is moved to a cooked position, movement of said trigger against said bias releasing said hammer for firing movements, a bel'lracranlc mounted for independent pivotal movementstonmthe trigger-mounting means and having an upwardly-extending arm and a rear- Wardlydaxtehdingrarm, a laterally-projecting stop lug. adjacent the free end of said hammer, detent means on the upwardly-extending arm of said bell crank, means biasing said bell crank toward the limit o'f 'its movementin one dir'ectiorrwh ereby to cause said detent means to be-en'g'ag'edby the-stop iugorrsaid liammerwhen said-hammer is moved to its-cocked positioii, "a' portion of -the rearwardly extend-ing arm of said bell k'crank projecting downwardly and -outwardly throu'gh the bottom of said fra'me and: e'ngageable-by the butt encompassingfin'gers 'of -the firing hand of the user," movement of --said- -bell --'cran-k against bias exerted thereagainstcausin'g disengagement of said detent means with said-stoning: whereby to permit firingmovement "to *be imparted-to said hammer through "said: triggers-said frame being provided with a rearwardly' projecti-ng coupler boss; which iextends-"into said-butt: the-- biasing means for said bell-crank comprising a torsion spring encompassing said boss, and said torsion spring :havingonerend anchored in" "said frame and 'its opposite end in engagement with-thedn termedia'teportion -of' therearwardly extending arm.

EDDIE-"J; QUICK:

References---Cited-in the fil' of this I patent r UNI'I'ED'QSTATES PATENTS'."Z 1

Numben: 1" Name r Dates? 938,849,"; 'Ia-mbourr: -i Oct-. 26;1909 1,450,976 Larson; Apr-.- 1923 2,498,553 Klebe; Feb.". 2l,. 1950. 2,553,995 Young, a vMay- 22,111951 

